Harare select booted out of CHAN qualifiers

Former Warriors' coach Zdravko Logarusic expressed his delight on Saturday evening as his Eswatini side secured a decisive 1-0 victory over Zimbabwe in the second leg of the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers. This result followed a resounding 3-0 win in the first leg, leading to a comprehensive 4-0 aggregate loss for Zimbabwe.

The defeat marks a disappointing return to the tournament for Zimbabwe, who had missed the previous edition due to a FIFA ban. The loss against Eswatini highlights the significant challenges facing Zimbabwean football and its development.

Zimbabwe, fielding a youthful squad led by Under-23 coach Takesure Chiragwi, aimed to capitalize on the experience gained from the two fixtures. Despite a promising approach, they struggled to find their footing against Eswatini's seasoned team.

"I think today we were much better than the first game. We controlled the game," Chiragwi remarked after the match. "In terms of everything, I think tactically we were superior, especially in transitions. We didn't allow them to play the way they wanted."

Chiragwi praised his young players, who faced off against Eswatini's senior national team, noting that the experience gained is crucial for the future of Zimbabwean football. "We came back strong from the last game. Our preparations were focused on doing that. I think we did well because these are Under-20s who faced Swaziland's first senior team, and it shows where we are going. There is light," he said.

Zimbabwe's best performance in the history of the CHAN tournament came in 2014 when they reached the semifinals but fell to Nigeria, the eventual champions of that edition.

With the win, Eswatini progresses to face Madagascar in December for their final qualification match ahead of next year's tournament, which is scheduled for February. The CHAN event, sponsored by TotalEnergies, has been organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) since its inception in 2009.